Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks linebacker Bangally Kamara (1) in opposition to the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photographs.
The Minnesota Vikings held rookie minicamp final week, and along with signing DT-OLB Smith Vilbert, the membership inked linebacker Bangally Kamara.
Two tryout gamers earned contracts. Now comes the actual roster climb.
Kamara enters the combination for Minnesota on the backside of the 90-man roster, hoping to do sufficient at coaching camp and within the preseason to stay round for the 53-man depth chart in September or snag a apply squad invitation.
Minnesota Provides Extra Depth to Brian Flores’s Protection
Get to know Kamara, the most recent Viking.
Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara participates in drills throughout Professional Day on March 11, 2026, on the College of Kansas in Lawrence. The defender boosted his NFL profile with testing numbers that highlighted his velocity, vary, and athletic versatility forward of the 2026 draft cycle. Scouts evaluated Kamara as a developmental linebacker with particular groups upside. Obligatory Credit score: Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Photographs
Kamara to MIN
The rookies carry on coming for Minnesota. KU Sports activities‘ Henry Greenstein wrote Monday, “Former Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara has signed with the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced on Monday. Kamara went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft but apparently made enough of an impression at the Vikings’ minicamp to earn a roster spot based on his tryout performance. Minnesota signed him alongside former Penn State lineman Smith Vilbert.”
“Kamara spent one year as a Jayhawk, the first piece in KU’s 2025 expansive transfer class, after four seasons at Pitt and a short stint at South Carolina. He served as KU’s starting weak-side linebacker and was an all-conference honorable mention at the conclusion of a year in which he recorded 56 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, while starting nine of the 11 games he played.”
Kamara, listed between 6’1″ and 6’2″ and 220-230 kilos, is a bit small for an inside linebacker, however he’ll battle for a roster spot however.
The Background
Kamara stands out as a flexible linebacker prospect. On the aforementioned top and weight, he’s a bit undersized however demonstrates the pliability to play dedense and on particular groups — a crucial asset for making an NFL roster. His collegiate path, nonetheless, was not simple.
He transferred collegiately twice, transferring from Pittsburgh to South Carolina earlier than touchdown at Kansas. Regardless of this winding route, his manufacturing lastly materialized in 2025, recording 56 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 move breakups, and a compelled fumble in 11 video games.
His enchantment stems from his motion, vary, and utility in sub-packages. Possessing 4.69 velocity, a 10-foot-1 broad bounce, and 32 1/8-inch arms, he has the athletic instruments essential to function successfully in house. The first query mark surrounding Kamara is his definitive NFL function: he’s possible too mild for full-time EDGE work and might want to carve out a particular area of interest. He initiatives as a developmental linebacker and particular groups ace.
Pittsburgh linebacker Bangally Kamara helps convey down Duke receiver Jordan Moore after a reception throughout the second quarter on Nov. 19, 2022, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Kamara flashed downhill velocity and pursuit potential throughout his time with the Panthers earlier than later transferring to Kansas to proceed his collegiate soccer profession. Obligatory Credit score: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports activities
Our Kyle Joudry on Kamara: “Per PFF, Kamara had a reasonably humdrum season, finishing off with a 63.4 grade. Most promising was his 79.3 pass rush score, further corroborating the notion that Kamara is at his best when he’s allowed to move forward. His snap allotment shows 309 snaps in the box, 156 snaps along the defensive line, 59 snaps as a slot corner, and 5 snaps as a wide corner.”
“Kamara now has that chance given that he turned his tryout (the initial chance) into an undrafted contract, which will span three seasons while coming in a hair below $900,000 for his 2026 cap charge. Expect the guaranteed money to be low, if not outright non-existent.”
The Revised ILB Group
When the offseason started, off-ball linebacker represented an enormous query mark for the Vikings. Wilson and Tempo Jr. had been free brokers, and rookie Jake Golday had not entered the image but. Quick ahead to Might, and each Wilson and Tempo Jr. are again, whereas Minnesota tabbed Golday as its 2nd-Spherical decide.
Right here’s the up to date lay of the land at inside linebacker:
Blake Cashman
Eric Wilson
Ivan Tempo Jr.
Jake Golday
Jacob Roberts
Scooby Williams
Josh Ross
Keli Lawson
Bangally Kamara
It is perhaps the Vikings’ deepest roster spot.
The Different Man — Vilbert
Vilbert is a defensive lineman who can be utilized on the road inside or the perimeters, relying on Flores’s temper. He’s 6’6 and 290 kilos with 34-inch arms.
Minnesota’s defensive scheme prioritizes versatility, anticipating its front-seven gamers to maneuver round, present totally different appears, and tackle numerous assignments. This makes Vilbert’s construct intriguing, as he might doubtlessly play as a five-technique, an inside backup, or perhaps a massive edge rusher.
Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara joins Trey Lathan and Lyrik Rawls to cease Utah tight finish Dallen Bentley throughout the first half on Nov. 28, 2025, at David Sales space Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. Kamara emerged as a flexible defender for the Jayhawks, contributing as a tackler, blitzer, and pursuit linebacker all through the 2025 marketing campaign. Obligatory Credit score: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Photographs
Nonetheless, his path ahead is undeniably steep. Older than most rookies, Vilbert’s school profession at Penn State and North Carolina confirmed flashes of expertise relatively than constant dominance. Whereas his bodily instruments are professional, he stays a challenge, which explains why he went undrafted.
Vilbert represents a basic Vikings lottery ticket: an enormous, skilled, and coachable participant going through a tricky battle for a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Vikings’ protection ranked third-best leaguewide in 2025 per EPA/Play and DVOA.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
